Improvement in hoof-skirts



tnted mes @wat ottime EDWARD 'FLEISCHEa or CINCINNATI, oHIo.

Letters Patent N. 92,811, dated .T uly 20. 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN HOOP-SHIRTS.

The Schedule referred to :in these Letters Patent and making part' of the sama.

To whom lit may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD FLEIsoHER, of Cincinnati. Hamilton county, Ohio, have invented a. new and useful Hoop-Skirt; and I-'hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improved form of ladies hoop-skirt, combining the advantages of graceful elegance with ease and comfort to lthe wearer at all times, whether in the sitting position, entering or leaving carriages, or otherwise; and consists in forming the upper and lower thirds of the skirt .of twov independent spirals or sets of hoops, connected onlyby the customary suspending-tapes, so as to leave a middle portion or interval in the skirt entirely free from wires; and, further, in providing said middle portion, in front, with a horizontal tape, in such position as to assist the adjustment of .the springs, under 'changes of' position without attention or inconvenience.v Figure 1 represents my improved skirt in the stand-- ing, and

Figure 2, in the sitting position; Attached to and dep/ending from the waistband A, are customary tapes, or other Suspenders, B, to which are attached two separate wire spirals or series of hoops, C D, extending about a third the height of the hand.

skirt trom the top and bottom, respectively, so as to leave, at about the midieight of the skirt, au open interval, E, entirely free trom wires. l

Extending around in front of the skirt, about the middle of its height, and fastened to the side and front Suspenders, is a horizontal tape or ribbon, F.

Byreference to fig. 2,'it will be seen that a'lady Wearing the skirt cantake her seat withontlsitting on the wires of herskirt, and without tilting the lower `hoops-nngracefully, the iatter drooping. naturally into place, without any special attention or adjustment, the horizontal tape F resting against the knees of the wearer, and assisting to hold the skirt to its proper adjustment without trouble.

` It will also be seen, that in other positions which embarrass the wearer, such as ascending and descending stairs, entering or alightiug from carriages, 85e., the customary annoyance and inconvenience arising from the use of hoop-skirts are avoided. Moreover, the wires being omitted fromV one-third of' the skirt,

those in the upper and lower portions can be of such weight and' stifness as to hold their shape and position, even in a storm; nor are the wires liable to injure children in the lap, as sometimes occurs with the common form.

One or more bands, either intersecting or parallel, may be'u'sed in place of the tape 1T'. l

1 claim herein as new, and of my invention- The improved skirt herein described, provided with;

upper and lower hooped sections, C and D, suspend' ers B, and knee-band or tape F, arranged substan--l tially as and for the purposes set folth.

In testimony of which invention, I hereunto set my EDWARD FLEISCHER.

Witnesses:

GEO'. H. KNIGHT, JAMES H.' LAYMAN. 

